Ignition and control system



April 25, 1961 A. s. MARKS 2,981,323

IGNITION AND CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 10, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 .771 4 V se ssWHl. J 2 55? 6 5 I "'M 16 55 I}, 5 INVENTOR. 8 ALEXANDER ASHTON MARKS l I Q3 79 78 HIS ATrd're'n/Ey April 25, 1961 A. s. MARKS IGNITION AND CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 10, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

HIS Q77OPll/El" &

ALEXANDER HSHTON MRRKS BY April 25, 1961 A. s. MARKS 2,931,323

IGNITION AND CONTROL SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 10. 1952 8 60 5y 6 78 79 INVENTOR.

ALEXANDER ASHTON MARKS HIS ATTORNEY April 25, 1961 A. s. MARKS IGNITION AND CONTROL SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 10, 1952 s K V, kmwf m R mm m VT. T mm A H S R I m 37 m E an IGNITION AND (IGNTROL SYSTEM Alexander Ashton Marks, 6676 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia 19, Pa.

Filed Dec. 10, 1952, Ser. No. 325,164

7 Claims.- (Cl. 158123) My invention is an ignition and control system for a main fuel burner and a pilot burner complementary thereto and to both of which fuel may be admitted through valves normally biased toward shut-off position.

My invention is particularly applicable to a heating system in which the flow of fuel to a main burner is intermittently interrupted by the action of a room thermostat, and/or other form of limit control, and in which a pilot flame is constantly maintained, while the heating system is in service, to ignite the main burner whenever fuel flows thereto.

My improvements primarily are designed to facilitate placing the heating system in service by temporarily supplying fuel to and igniting a pilot flame whose heat actuates valve opening mechanisms to permit flow of fuel to the pilot and/or to the main burner but which permits automatic reclosing of such valves when the pilot is extinguished or when there is failure from any cause in the operation of such mechanisms.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention, the manual operation of a starter effects sequentially the heating of an igniter and the opening of a fuel supply to a pilot adjacent to the igniter. The heat of the pilot flame actuates mechanisms which interrupt the heating of the igniter, maintains the supply of fuel to the pilot, and initiates a supply of fuel to a main burner adjacent to the pilot if auxiliary controls are in a position calling for heat or if there are no auxiliary controls. The extinguishment of the pilot flame inactivates such mechanisms and permits the biased valves to automatically close and shut off the supply of fuel to both the pilot and to the main burner regardless of the demand for heat evidenced by the position of auxiliary controls.

The system preferably includes a timer-controlled latchiug mechanism for controlling the duration of the operativeness of the igniter. The igniter and timer are preferably of the electrothermal type and in circuit with 'one another.

.In a simplified embodiment of my invention, the closing of an igniter circuit and the opening of a fuel supply to the pilot may be effected and maintained manually until a pilot fiamehas been lighted. The heat from such pilot flame then actuates mechanisms effecting the maintenance of a fuel supply to the pilot and the initiation and maintenance of a fuel supply to the main burner if the auxiliary controls are in position calling for heat or if there are no auxiliary controls. The extinguishment of the pilot flame inactivates such mechanisms and permits the biased valves to automatically close and thereby interrupt the fuel supply to both the pilot and to the main burner.

The valve controlling the fuel supply to the main burner may be in juxtaposition to and form a unit with certain of the devices for controlling its operation, and may be likewise in juxtaposition to and form a unit with the valve controlling the flow of fuel to the pilot and the mechanism for controlling the same, or, if desired,

the main control valve may be positioned remotely from the remainder of the control system and be controlled through an electric circuit. The principles of my invention, and the best modes contemplated by me for carrying out such principles, will further appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings in illustration thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic, part-sectional elevation of the elements of a preferred embodiment of my ignition and control system with the parts in position for preventing how of fuel to the main burner or to the pilot burner; Fig.2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a position of parts of effecting preheating of an igniter before fuel is permitted to fiow to the pilot burner or to the main burner; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of parts of the system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with latching mechanism and timer in positions permitting flow of fuel to the pilot burner while continuing the heating of the igniter, but preventing flow of fuel to the main burner; Fig. 4 is a view ofthe system shown in Fig. 1 after the timer has released the latching mechanism and interrupted the circuit of the igniter and timer and the heat of the pilot flame has effected positioning of parts permitting flow of fuel through the main valve to the burner and continuing flow of fuel through the auxiliary valve to the pilot; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse'sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is an end elevation looking from the left of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a top plan view looking in the-direction indicated by the line 88 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8A is a diagrammatic plan view of a pilot and modified igniter; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic part sectional elevation of elements of a system similar to that of Figs. 1 to 8, but embody a modification of my invention; the parts being shown in position to shut off fuel flow to a main burner and pilot burner and inactivate the igniter; Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic, part sectional elevation of the system shown in Fig. 9 with the parts positioned to close the igniter circuit and to permit flow of fuel to a pilot after the closure of the igniter circuit but before the opening of the main valve; Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic, part sectional elevation of the system shown in Figs. 9 and 10 with the parts positioned to permit flow of fuel through the main valve to the burner and through the auxiliary valve to the pilot after the interruption of the igniter circuit; Fig. 12 is an irregular, part sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 1313 of Fig. 11; and Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modification of the system shown in Figs. 9 to 13 in which the auxiliary valve and its associated parts are positioned remotely from the main valve; I

As illustrated in the drawings, my improvements are embodied in a heating system comprising a main valve 1, controlling the flow offuel through the conduit 2 to the main burner 3, and an auxiliary valve 4 controlling the flow of fuel through the tube 5 to a pilot burner 6.

The main valve 1 may have a body or casing 7 containing an inlet port 8 and an outlet port 9 (Figs. 6, 7), a partition 10 between the inlet and outlet ports, and a side port 11 (Fig. 11) on the inlet side of the partition it) for receiving the body casing 12 of the auxiliary valve 4.

The partition 10 contains a port 13 surrounded by a seat 14 for the reception of a valve disk 15.

The disk 15 is biased by gravity or a light spring toward the seat 14 and has fixed thereto a stem 16 whose upper portion 17 forms the longitudinally movable core of a solenoid coil 18 housed in the casing 7.

One end of the solenoid coil 18 is electrically connected, through an insulated conductor 19, with a switch terminal 20 in a housing 21 made of insulating material. The other end of the solenoid coil 18 is connected, through an insulated conductor 22, room thermostat 23, limit control 24, and insulated conductor 25 with one side of a transformer 26. The other side of the transformer 26 is connected, through an insulated conductor 27, with a switch terminal 28 complementary to the terminal 20 in the housing 21.

I The terminals 20 and 28 are supported by the insulating flange 29 of the housing 21 so that they are insulated fromone another. The terminal 20 is connected through a conducting bolt 30 and conductor 31 with a switch contact 32 on a resilient and slightly flexible arm 33 loosely suspended from the bolt 30 and made of insulating material. The contact 32 is movable by the movement of the arm 33 into engagement with a contact 34 on the resilient conducting arm 35 fixed to the terminal 28.

The arm 33 is operable to close the circuit of the solenoid coil 18 (if the thermostat 23 and limit control 24 are in position calling for heat) by an insulating rod or plunger 36 slideable in a bearing 37 of the insulating housing 21 and fixed to a flexible diaphragm 38 which is normally biased by a helical spring 39 to spread the contacts 32 and 34. The rod 36 may be loosely coupled to the arm 33 by a headed bolt 40, which has a shank passing loosely through an aperture 41 in the arm 33 and threaded in the rod 36.

The rod may also contain a notch 42 for the engagement of one arm of a lever 43 fulcrumed on a bracket 44. The other end of the lever 43 is pivotally connected with an indicator slide 45 visible through an opening 46 in the housing 21. I

The rim flange of the diaphragm 38 is bonded to the rim. of a cylindrical cap 47, which is fixed to the housing 21. The diaphragm 38 is normally spaced slightly from the end of the cap 47 so as to form a chamber 48, which communicates through a capillary tube 49 with a bulb 50. The bulb 50, tube 49 and chamber 48 are filled with a fluid which is readily expansible by heat to expand the diaphragm 38 and move the rod 36 rectilineally when the bulb is exposed to the heat of a burner 3 or 6.

The auxiliary valve casing 12 contains a port 51 surrounded by a seat 52 for the reception of a valve disk 53. The valve disk 53 has a stem 54 fixed to a flexible diaphragm 55 closing the outer end of the valve chamber 56 and normally biased by a helical spring 57 to cause the seating of the disk 53 on the seat 52.

The arm 33 has a bifurcated lower end 58 which straddles the stem 54. When the arm 33 is vertical, the bifurcated end" 58 is spaced slightly from the stop ring 60 on the stem 54 so as to permit a slight anti-c1ockwise movement of the arm 33 without unseating the valve 53.

Further anti-clockwise movement of the arm 33 causes the end 58 to engage the stop ring 60 and move the stem 54 to maintain the valve 53 in an unseated position to which it has been moved as hereinafter described.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the stop ring 60 may be provided with an insulating shank or cap 59. As indicated in these figures, the valve disk 53 is unseated by engagement of the cap 59 by a head 61 of a plunger or rod 61 slideable in a bearing 63 (Fig. 2) of the housing 21 and fixed to a push button 64 slideable in a socket 65 -.and normally biased outward, away from the cap 59,

by a helical spring 66.

The push button 64 may be manually pressed inwardly far enough to unseat the valve disk 53, but preferably the push button 64 is manually pushed in only far enough to cause the beveled contacting disk 67 thereon to clear, and be latched by, a beveled end 68 of a pawl 69 pivotally mounted on a bracket 70 and normally biased by a spring 71.

The pawl 69 contains an aperture 72 for the passage of a stem 73 which has a flanged base 74 fixed to the outer end of a bellows 75. The bellows 75 is fixed in a recess 76 of the housing 21. The bellows contains a thermally expansible fluid, and the expansion thereof causes the flanged base 74 to engage and rock the pawl 69.

A flexible electric heating coil 77 encircles the bellows 75 and has one end connected through a flexible insulated conductor 77 with a contact 68' on the beveled end of the insulating pawl 69. The other end of the heating coil is connected, through an insulated conductor 78, with a transformer 79. The other side of the transformer 79 is connected, through an insulated conductor 80, with one end of an electro-thermal coil 81 forming an igniter adjacent to the burner 6. The other end of the coil 81 is connected, through an insulated conductor 82, with the conducting disk 67. The parts 67 and 68' form switch contacts which, when engaged with one another, close the circuit of the heating coils 77 and 81 to render the latter incandescent and cause the former to heat and expand the fluid in the bellows 75. The expansion ofthe bellows causes the flange 74 to move outward and rock the pawl 69. This moves the disk 67 and causes the head 61 to push the rod 54 enough to unseat the valve disk 53. This permits fuel to flow through the tube 5 and pilot 6 and to be ignited by the igniter 81.

The heat of the burning fuel flowing from the pilot 6 expands the fluid in the bulb 50 and thereby expands the diaphragm 38. This causes the stem 36 to shift the indicator 45 and rock the arm 33 further anti-clockwise. Such further rocking of the arm 33 closes the circuit of the solenoid 18 and pulls the stem :73 and pawl 69 anticlockwise until the beveled end 68 clears the beveled edge of the disk 67 to permit the retraction of the stem 62 by the spring 66. The separation of the members 67 and 68' thus breaks the circuit of the coils 77 and 81.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that when the starter button 63 is pushed in far enough to effect closure of the electric switch formed by the conducting members 67 and 68' current will flow through the coils 77 and 81 and heat them and this current flow will continue so long as the beveled edge of the part 67 is latched behind the tooth 68 (Fig. 2). The heat of the coil 77 expands the fluid in the bellows 75. The consequent elongation of the latter causes the flange 74 to push the pawl 69 anticlockwise and rectilineally move the disk 67, head 61, cap 59, and stem 54 far enough to unseat the valve 53 against the biasing action of the spring 56 but without disturbing the hanger arm 33. The unseating of the valve 53 permits flow of fuel to and through the pilot 6, where it is ignited by the now incandescent coil 81.

If, for any extraordinary reason, the pilot does not ignite within a reasonable time, the continued heating of the coil 77 will rock the pawl 69 so far anti-clockwise that its tooth 68 will clear the disk 67 and interrupt the igniter and heater circuit and permit the starter button 64 to be retracted by the spring 66 and the valve 53 to be reseated. Thus the bellows 75 and heater coil 77 may act, in emergency, as a limit timer for the latching members 67 and 68.

Ordinarily, however, the fuel flowing from the pilot burner 6 will promptly ignite and cause the expansion of the expansible fluid (e.g. mercury) in the bulb 50.

The expansion of this fluid moves the diaphragm 38 and rod 36 and rocks the arm 33 anti-clockwise.

The rocking of the arm 33 closes the switch members 32 and 34; pulls on the rod 73 to rock the pawl 69 anticlockwise far enough for its tooth 68 to clear the disk 67; and moves the bifurcated end 58 against the stop ring 60 to hold the valve unseated and supply fuel to the pilot.

If the devices 23 and 24 are in position calling for heat (or are omitted) the closing of the switch members 32 and 34 closes the circuit of the solenoid 18 and the magnetic flux thereby generated lifts the armature 17 and unseats the valve 15 to permit flow of fuel to the main burner 3. So long as the expansible fluid in the bulb 50 is expanded by the heat of the pilot 6 (or, if desired, of

the main burner 3) the valve 53 will be maintained in the open position and the valve 15 will be opened or closed by the operation of the devices 23 and/or 24. If for any reason there is a cessation of the heating of the bulb 50, the condensation of the fluid therein permits the spring 39 to retract the diaphragm 38, rod 36 and arm 33. This separates the contacts 32 and 34 to deenergize the coil 18 and permits the biasing springs of the valves 15 and 53 to seat them so that fuel canno longer flow to the main burner or pilot burner upon the operation of the controls 23 and 24.

The automatic timed latching mechanism (which obviates the need for manually holding the starter button until the system is activated) and other parts may be omitted. The duration of the activation of the igniter and of the initial displacement of the auxiliary valve may be then manually controlled by such mechanism as illustrated in Figs. 9-14.

As illustrated in the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 9-13, the igniter circuit conductors 78, 82 may be connected with contacts 83, 84 (Fig. of a push button switch housed in a capped cylindrical plunger 85 having a body slideable in a bearing 88 of the insulating casing 21 concentric with the valve casing 4. An outwardly biased push button 86 is movable in the plunger to cause thebridging contact 87 to close the circuit between the contacts 83, 84. The push button 86 has a flange which engages and exerts a thrust against the body of the plunger 85 after the switch has been closed. The plunger may be thereby moved inward so that its inner end thrusts the stem 54 inwardly against the action of the spring 57 and unseats the valve 53. Fuel is thereby permitted to pass to and through the pilot 6 and actuate the mechanisms for unseating the main valve and holding open the auxiliary valve 53 as hereinbefore described. When the manual pressure on the push button 86 is released, the plunger 85 and contact are retracted to leave the valve 53 under control of the bifurcated end 58 of the arm 33 and interrupt the igniter circuit. a

As illustrated in Fig. 14, the insulating casing 21 may be made as a separate unit from the casing 7, and the valve casing 12 may be connected by a suitable coupling 12' with the supply line 8 in advance of its connection with a valve casing 7 whose port 11 is plugged. The conductors 19 and 27 are made of sufficient length to extend from the terminals and 28 to the coil 18 of the remote valve casing 7.

Instead of initially igniting the pilot flame by a coil heated to incandescence by the flow of current therethrough, the initial ignition may be effected by a spark formed by the passage of high frequency current across a spark gap whose-electrodes 81 are in series with the conductors 8t), 82, as shown in Fig. 8A.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An ignition and control system for a main burner and a pilot burner, comprising an igniter for igniting fuel emitted from such pilot burner, a main valve for controlling fuel flow to said main burner, an auxiliary valve for controlling fiow to said pilot burner, a manually closable latching mechanism for closing a switch in an electric circuit for energizing said igniter, means including a fluid expansible device responsive to a heating element in said electric circuit operatively associated with said latching mechanism for opening said auxiliary valve, and means including a second fluid expansible device actuating a rocking member in the path of said latching mechanism for releasing said latching mechanism, holding said auxiliary valve and opening said main valve.

2. An ignition and control system comprising a main valve for controlling the flow of combustible fuel to a main burner; an auxiliary valve for controlling the flow of combustible fuel to a pilot burner, means forming an electric circuit containing a plurality of electro-responsive heating devices and switch members controlling said circuit, one of said members being latchable by the second of said members to close said electric circuit, mechanism through which said last named member is operable by one of said electro-responsive devices acting through a stem extending therefrom to move said auxiliary valve through said first named member, means forming a second electric circuit containing a switch and electro-responsive mechanism for operating said main valve, a thermally responsive mechanism actuated by the heat of combustion from said pilot burner for moving a switch member of said first circuit and closing the switch of said second circuit and for positioning said auxiliary valve; the movement of said switch member by said thermally responsive mechanism releasing the other switch member of said first circuit and interrupting the flow of current through said first circuit.

3. An ignition and control system comprising means forming an electric circuit containing switch members and a plurality of electro-thermal heating devices, one of said members being movable by the other of said switch members to effect the closing of said circuit by the latching of the latter, mechanism through. which said first named switch member is also movable by one of said electro-thermal devices, a fuel controlling valve operable by the movement of said switch members by one of said electro-thermal devices, and thermally responsive mechanism responsive to the combustion of fuel which has passed through said valve for controlling said valve and for operating said first named member to release said second named member and interrupt the flow of current to said thermal devices.

4. An ignition and control system comprising a main valve for controlling the fiow of combustible fuel to a main burner, an auxiliary valve for controlling the flow of combustible fuel to an auxiliary burner, and an igniter adjacent said auxiliary burner for igniting fuel which has passed said auxiliary valve in the opening position thereof, means including a thermally expansible device and mechanical latching means for controlling the heating of said igniter and opening of said auxiliary valve, and means including a second thermally expansible device for moving said latching mechanism and said main valve and holding said auxiliary valve.

5. An ignition and control system comprising a starter plunger, a rocking member in the path of said plunger for latching the same to close an electric circuit, an expansible member responsive to a heating element actuated by said circuit for rocking said member and thereby moving said plunger, a pilot valve operable by said last movement of said plunger to permit the fiow of fuel through said valve to a pilot burner, means including a second expansible member responsive to the heat of combustion at said pilot burner for unlatching said member and plunger, and a main valve operable by the movements of said second expansible member to permit or prevent flow through said main valve.

6. An ignition and control system comprising a main valve for controlling the flow of combustible fuel to a main burner, an auxiliary valve for controlling the flow of combustible fuel to a pilot burner, means forming an electric circuit containing a plurality of electro-thermal heating devices and switch members controlling said circuit, one of said switch members being latchable by the other of said switch members, mechanism through which said members are operable by one of said electro-thermal heating devices acting on a heat responsive bellows and a stem projecting therefrom to operate said auxiliary valve, means forming a second electric circuit containing electro-magnetic mechanism controlling said main valve and a switch controlling said second circuit, and thermally responsive mechanism actuated by the heat from said pilot burner for operating a switch member of said first circuit and the switch of said second circuit and for positioning said auxiliary valve; the operation by said thermal mechanism of said switch member 7 of the first circuit releasing the other switch member of said first circuit.

7. An ignition and control system comprising means forming an electric circuit containing switch members and a plurality of electro-thermal heating devices, one of said switch members being latchable by the other of said switch members to close said circuit and energize said heating devices, thermally responsive mechanism through which the latter switch member is operable by one of said electro-thermal heating devices, a second thermally responsive mechanism for releasing said first named switch member from said second named switch member, and a valve operable by one of said electrothermal devicesand by said first named thermally rosponsive mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,982,561 Williams Nov. 27, 1934 2,476,118 Short July 12, 1949 2,501,850 Kunzler Mar. 28, 1950 2,533,982 Weber et a1 Dec. 12, 1950 2,564,863 Strobel Aug. 21, 1951 2,586,257 Ray Feb. 19, 1952 2,610,682 Weber Sept. 16, 1952 2,614,622 Eskin Oct. 21, 1952 

